Plier type, positionable fulcrum, parallel jaw wrench



Oct. 29, 1957 B. PEPPERDINE PLIER TYPE, POSITIONABLE FULCRUBL' PARALLEL JAW WRENCH Filed Feb. 21, 1956 r I N V EN TOR. 561V PififiEtD/A/i deceased by DogH/EPPEM/NI admln/strnfrm 4 oz/vev United States Patent G PLIER TYPE, POSITIONABLE FULCRUM, PARALLEL JAW WRENCH Application February 21, 1956, Serial No. 567,015

7 Claims. (Cl. 81409) This invention relates to hand tools and more particularly to adjustable pliers.

A broad object of the invention is the provision of a plier which is adjustable to accommodate various sized workpieces.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable plier wherein the jaw opening may be varied to accommodate a wide range of sizes of Workpieces and wherein further the jaws are movable to substantially parallel gripping positions with each size workpiece.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable plier wherein the jaws are movable to parallel gripping positions over a wide range of jaw openings and wherein further the parallel jaw opening may be relatively finely adjusted so as to provide a substantially parallel jaw relationship for any sized workpiece within the limits of the plier.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable plier, as in the foregoing, which is simple in construction, easy to use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages. of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following'detailed description taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein;

Fig. l is a side elevation of the adjustable plier of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 illustrating certain adjustment and locking means, embodied in the invention, in their locked condition; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the adjustment and locking means in their released condition.

Referring now to these drawings, the plier of this invention comprises, generally, first and second handle members and 11, respectively, a locking slide 12, and a pivot pin 13 for joining the parts into a unitary assembly.

First handle member 10 comprises an intermediate, flattened shank portion 14 joined at one end to a first gripping jaw 15 and at the other end to a first handle 16. Shank 14, gripping jaw 15, and handle 16 are preferably, though not necessarily, formed as one integral piece.

Gripping jaw 15 extends to one side of and generally at right angles to shank 14, and handle 16 extends to the other side of the shank and at an obtuse angle thereto.

Shank 14 has formed therethrough a longitudinally extending slot 17 and is serrated along one of its longitudinal edges to provide a plurality of relatively fine teeth 19. While the teeth 19 are illustrated as being formed on that side of the shank from which the handle 16 extends, it will become apparent, as the description proceeds, that such teeth may be formed along either edge of the shank.

"ice

Second handle member :11 comprises a second gripping jaw 20 which is joined to a second handle 21, in obtuse angular relationship thereto, by a flattened intermediate portion 22. As in the case of the first handle member 10, the gripping jaw 20, handle 21 and portion 22, joining jaw 20 and handle 21, are preferably, though not necessarily, integrally formed. Intermediate portion 22 is formed with a squared opening 23 for receiving pivot pin 13, as will be presently seen, and bears flatly against one side face of shank portion 14 of the first handlemember 10. V

laws 15 and 20, may, if desired, be provided with removable jaw inserts 15' and 20, respectively.

Locking slide 12 is' of generally channel shape in cross section so as to provide a central web portion 25 and flanges 26; and 27 along opposite edges of the web portion. The inner surface of flange 26 is smooth, as shown, whilethe inner surface of flange 27 is serrated to form teeth 28' of a sizeto mesh with the teeth 19 on shank 14.

Slide 12 is positioned with the. inner surface of its web portion 25 bearing flatly against the face of shank 14 opposite that engaged by intermediate portion 22 of the second handle member and with its teeth 28 disposed adjacent the teeth 19 on shank The width of flanges 26 and 27 is slightly less than the thickness of shank 14 so that the edges of the flanges will be spaced slightly from the inner surface of intermediate portion 22, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. g l

The spacing between the smooth inner surface of flange 26 and the tips" of teeth 28 on the inner surface of flange 27 is-slightly greater than the overall width of shank 14, including the teeth 19 along one edge thereof. This greater spacing between fiange26'and teeth 28 permits slide 12, when disposed with its flange 26 incontact with the smooth edge of shank 14,v to be moved longitudinally of the shank. When, however, the slide is shifted laterally on the shank to bringits teeth 28 into mesh with the teeth 19, the slide will be restrained against relative longitudinal movement on the shank.

Web 25 of slide 12 is centrally bored for rotatably receiving the pivot pin 13, the adjacent end of the latter being formed with an enlarged head 29 bearing against the outer surface of the web. Pin 13 extends through slot 17 in the first handle member and adjacent its other end is formedwith a squaredportion 30 non-rotatably received in the squared opening 23 in the intermediate portion 22 of the second handle member. The pin extends somewhat beyond the outer surface of said intermediate portion andis threaded, as .shown, for receiving a nut 31. Nut 31 is preferably locked on the'threaded end of pin 13 as by upsetting thelatter and nut 31, as indicated at 32.

The portion of pin 13 which lies within slot'17 is generally smooth and cylindrical and of a diameter substantially equal to the width of the slot so that the pin may turn in the slot. This portion of the pin is flattened at one side, as shown at 33. The spacing between the cylindrical surface of pin 13 and the bottoms of teeth 28 on the slide is substantially the same as the distance between thetips of teeth 19 on shank 14 and the adjacent wall of slot 17 so that when the pin is so turned in the slot to bring its cylindrical surface to bear against said adjacent edge of the slot, teeth 19 and 28 will be moved into meshing engagement, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and. the slide will be restrained against. longitudinal-movement on the shank. The clearance provided fiat 33 on the pin is such as to enable the teeth 19 and 28 to be moved out of, engagement, when the pin is turned in theslot 17 to the position-of Fig. -4,.so as'to permit longi" tudinal adjustment of the slide on the shank,

. Pin 13 is non-rotatably fixed in second handle member 11, in the manner previously described, and is so oriented relative to the handle member 11 that when the handles 16 and 21 are pivoted together (solid lines, Fig. 1) to bring the work engaging faces of inserts and into substantial parallelism, pin 13 will be positioned, in slot 17, with its cylindrical surface in engagement with said adjacent side wall of the slot (Fig. 3,) and teeth 19 and 28 will be locked in mesh so that relative longitudinal movement of second handle memberll and slide 12 on shank 14 will be prevented. When the handles 16 and 21 are swung apart, to separate jaw jinserts 15 and 20' (phantom lines, Fig. 1) fiat 33 on the pin 24 will be turned to a position of parallelism with said adjacent side wall of slot 17 (Fig. 4) to permit longitudinal adjustment of the second handle member 11 and slide 12 on the shank 14 of the first handle member.

The operation of the present plier will be obvious from the foregoing description. The plier is adjusted to accommodate a desired workpiece by pivoting the handles 16 and 21 to their open position so asto permit teeth 28 in slide 12 to move out of mesh, with teeth 19 on shank 14. The slide and second handle member 11 are now adjusted longitudinally of the shank to a position wherein the spacing between the work engaging faces of inserts 15' and 20', when the handle members 16 and 21 are pivoted together to bring said work engaging faces into substantial parallelism and lock teeth 19 and 28 in mesh, is such as to effect gripping of the workpiece with the desired force.

It will be apparent that the present plier may be adjusted to accommodate a wide range of sizes of workpieces, and that the fineness of the teeth 19 and 28 provides for fine adjustability of the parallel jaw opening between the maximum and minimum parallel jaw openings.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, it will be apparent that numerous modifications in design and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the following claims.

i What is claimed is:

I. An adjustable plier comprising a pair of handle members each including a gripping jaw having a work engaging face, means pivotally joining said members and including a pin non-rotatably carried by one of said members and slidably and rotatably received in a slot in the other of said members, said slot extending substantially normal to the work engaging face of said other member, a locking slide rotatable on said pin, said slide and said other member having opposing serrated surfaces substantially paralleling said slot, the serrations of said surfaces being movable into meshing engagement by relative movement of said slide and other member in a direction normal to said slot to releasably lock said handle members against relative movement in the direction of said slot, said pin including means for relatively moving said slide and other handle member in said first mentioned direction to engage said serrations when the handle members are pivoted toward one another.

2. An adjustable plier comprising a pair of handle members each including a gripping'jaw having a work engaging face, one of said members having a slot extending substantially normal to its work engaging face, a pin fixed against rotation in the other member and slidably and rotatably received in said slot, said pin having a diameter substantially equal to the width of said slot and being formed at one side with a flat rotatable into parallelism with a side of said slot by pivoting of said handle members away from each other whereby to accommodate relative movement of said pin and one member in a direction normal to said slot, said pin being rotatable by pivoting of the handle members together to a position wherein a full diameter thereof is normal to the slot whereby to prevent relative movement of the pin and one member in said direction, a locking slide rotatable on said-pin, said slide and one member having opposing serrated surfaces substantially paralleling said slot, and the serrations of said surfaces being movable into meshing engagement by rotation of said pin to said full diameter position thereof to lock said handle members against relative movement in the direction of said slot.

3. An adjustable plier comprising a pair of handle members each including a gripping jaw having a work engaging face, one of said members having a slot extending substantially normal to its work engaging face, a locking slide movable on said one handle member in the direction ofsaid slot and in a direction normal to said slot, said slide and one handle member having opposing serrated surfaces substantially paralleling the slot, the serrations of said surfaces being movable into meshing engagement by relative movement of the slide and one member in said normal direction to lock said slide and one handle member against relative movement in the first mentioned direction, and a pin fixed in the other handle member and extending rotatably and slidably through said slot and rotatably mounting said slide, the portion of the pin within the slot being formed with a flat side movable into parallelism with a side of said slot by pivotal movement of the handle members away from each other to permit relative movement of the slide and one handle member in said normal direction to disengage said serrations, said serrations being moved into meshing engagement by closing of. said handle members to rotate said pin to a position wherein a full diameter thereof is normal to the slot.

4. An adjustable, parallel jaw plier, comprising: a pair of overlying handles formed at one end with opposing jaws having work engaging faces, means connecting said handles for relative pivoting thereof to open and close said jaws and for adjustable positioning of the handles in a. first direction transverse to said jaw faces to vary the parallel spacing therebetween, said means including a member journalled on one of the handles for pivoting with the other handle when the handles are pivoted to open and close the jaws, said member and other handle being relatively movable in said direction to accommodate said adjustable positioning'of the handles and including opposing serrated surfaces extending substantially parallel to said direction, said member and other handle being relatively movable in a second direction transverse to said serrated surfaces between first positions wherein the serrations of said surfaces mesh to lock said handles against movement in said first direction and second positions'wherein said serrated surfaces are spaced whereby to permit movement of the handles in said first direction.

5. The subject matter of claim 4 wherein said member is generally channel-shaped and said other handle has a flattened shank slideably received in the channel of said member between the side flanges thereof, said serrations being formed on theinner surface of one of said flanges and the opposing side surface of the shank.

6. The subject matter of claim 4 wherein said firstmentioned means further comprises an elongate slot in said other handle extending parallel to said first direction, and a pin carried on said one handle and slideably received in said slot, said pin having a diameter substantially equal to the width of said slot and a flat at one side, said member and other handle being retained in said first positions when a full diameter of the pin extends transversely of the slot, and said other handle and pin being relatively rotatable. to a position wherein said fiat parallels one side of the slot and relative movement of the member and other handle to said second positions is accommodated. i s

7. The subject matter of claim 6 wherein said pin is fixed against rotation in said one handle, and said member is journalled on said pin, said flat being located to parallel the wall of said slot when the handles are pivoted to a given position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Kress June 19, 1951 Hendrickson Mar. 22, 1955 Mead May 10, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 12, 1945 Germany Apr. 17, 1952 Germany July 9, 1953 

